Wymondham College Magazine 1972 (Amalgam)

DE PERSONIS REBUSQUE SCHOLASTICISTHE COLLEGEThere were 1,351 pupils in the College this year,of whom 332 were day boys, 327 day girls, 355boy boarders, and 337 girl boarders. There were249 in the Sixth Form. The Head Boys and Girlswere Russell Hill, Kevin Hathway, Shelagh Baileyand Angela McAvoy .The House Captains and College Prefects wereAngela Ash, Christine Barrett, Barry Clarke,Margaret Cockburn, Paulette Cross, Ann Dawson,Andrew Edwards, Derek Everitt, Esther Farrow,Michael Garon, Susan Hardy, Kevin Hewitt, JohnHouseago, Susan Johnson, Alexander Mullins,Kathryn Oxley, Trevor Overton, David Piper,Graham Pitcher, Philip Sharpe, Christopher Spinks,Patricia Stephens, Sylvia Szczepanski, JenniferWade .AUTUMN TERMIntegrating the College and County GrammarSchool led to a number of changes . The Houseswere rearranged into six groups. Each of these wascomposed of a boys' and a girls' boarding house(or a mixed house) and half of one of the dayhouses . Three morning Assemblies were arranged,two groups to an assembly ; in Butler, the Chapeland Tomlinson. It was thus possible to have nearlyeverybody seated . These Assemblies have beenconducted by House staff .Expansion of the number of options open tothe fourth years meant that the timetable had tobe extended into Saturday morning for allThis had the added advantage of eliminating theold discrepancy in the length of boarders' and daypupils' terms . However, considerable parentalresistance to Saturday morning school for daypupils resulted in a falling off of attendance, andsome modification for the following school year .Parents of day pupils will now be given a choice of5 day or 5V2 day courses for their children . Theresponse to this scheme is most encouraging and itis expected that all next year's first year pupils willbe coming in on Saturday mornings and more than95% of the present pupils who are affected willalso be attending on Saturday mornings.To strengthen the links between day and boardingpupils, new first-years began having their lunchin the boarding houses to which they were allotted .Day pupils were invited to attend social functionsand films at the College, but the travelling involvedhas inhibited all but a few from taking advantageof this. This particular problem is receiving attentionand there are good grounds for expecting thisproblem to be solved in the very near future .The mixed halls, Kett and New, settled downquickly and experienced few teething troubles .In order that day pupils might stay after schoolfor games practices or other activities, the Authorityhas arranged adequate transport . This has alsobeen an aid in the process of integration . .On Sunday, November ,7th, while all seniorswere at Chapel, one of the eight-bed dormitoriesin York House was found to be on fire . As this wasdiscovered in its early stages there was not muchdamage to the structure, but property and fittingswere badly affected .The College cadets and Sixth formers wereinvited to watch a Naval helicopter display at theLane hockey pitches, in spite of a strong wind, thehelicopter performed some intricate and delicatemanoeuvres . Later a film was shown and a lecturegiven by naval officers .A new system of individual reports was started,each year-group being reported one at a time inthe school year considered to be most effectiveand necessary. For instance, the 1st years have areport after their first half-term to show theirparents how they have settled down, and anotherat the end of the summer term . The 5th years haveonly one report, but this is immediately aftertheir Mock "0" Level examinations in February,thus giving information about their progress andexpectations . The reports themselves have beenredesigned, each subject on a separate sheet andassembled in a striking cover incorporating theCollege crest .SPRING TERMAs in this term last year, power cuts affectedthe running of the College, this time to such anextent that half-term had to be prolonged by aweek .The gymnasium in the middle of the GamesBlock was gutted by fire in the small hours of the26th February . Undeniable evidence showed thatit had been deliberately caused . Salvage and repairoperations began within a week, and the policeconducted intensive investigations to find theculprit, including the individual questioning andfinger-printing of the entire school. Damage to thewater system in the building coupled with structuraldamage meant that for the remainder of theterm all facilities, including the use of the gameshall and the swimming bath, were out of action . So